Colossians 1:15-28 (NRSV)
Read Colossians 1:15-28 on biblegateway.com
Verse 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; Verse 16for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers-all things have been created through him and for him. Verse 17He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Verse 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. Verse 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, Verse 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. Verse 21And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, Verse 22he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him- Verse 23provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel. Verse 24I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. Verse 25I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, Verse 26the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. Verse 27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Verse 28It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
Devotion
What is the common thread that holds the church together? God's people are of every gender, race, ethnicity, and creed. Their age span stretches from birth to the saints in heaven. We have differing responses to political justice, service, worship styles, and even biblical interpretation.
Colossians says, "Christ Jesus is before all things, and in him all things hold together." The common thread that holds us together is Christ. We are held together by our mutual experience of brokenness. and our need for forgiveness. We are held together by the One who spoke the world into existence in love and the One who came to walk with us, die for us, redeem us, and breathe the hope of new life back into us. When we believe this and hold onto this as our common thread, then we are challenged to look for and discover Christ in the face of each person we meet.
Prayer
Lord of the rainbow, divisions of all kinds challenge us, sometimes to the point of breaking. Give us eyes to see your face in the eyes of our neighbors, that we might love even those with whom we struggle. Amen.